Freeman, Notre Dame state CFP case, 'leave no doubt' in win over Miami — SkimNews
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- Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami 31-24 in South Bend on Saturday, the win the Irish needed after an Oct. 17 loss at BYU had left them No. 11 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings
- CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and no interceptions, hitting Micah Gilbert twice and Jordan Faison for three touchdowns — a stark contrast to the mistakes that doomed Notre Dame in last year's 27-24 loss at Miami
- Luke Talich intercepted Mensah to set up a touchdown drive and jarred the ball loose from Miami tight end Elija Lofton on a potential tying score, with the call upheld on review despite heavy criticism from Miami coach Mario Cristobal
- Marcus Freeman switched from man coverage to a zone-man mix after Miami attacked the man scheme and cornerback Leonard Moore left the field with a poked eye, calling the switch "the definition of insanity"
- Miami played without its best player, wide receiver Malachi Toney (ankle), and rallied from a 24-3 second-half deficit to stay within one score before the loss
- Notre Dame notched its 10th win over an AP top-ranked opponent, second-most among FBS teams, with fans streaming onto the field afterward to celebrate
Why it matters: Notre Dame's 31-24 win reverses last season's script, when a 27-24 loss let Miami leapfrog the Irish for the final CFP spot despite a 10-game win streak to close the regular season. With the Irish already No. 11 in the initial CFP rankings after an Oct. 17 loss at BYU, Saturday keeps their national-title case intact.
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